Ohio Valley Conference

EKU labored through its worst shooting night of the season on Thursday, shooting just 19 percent from three-point range, including 0-for-11 in the second half. The Colonels were also out-rebounded by Murray State, 40-25.

Junior Papa Oppong led all scorers with a career-high 19 points on 6-of-9 (66.7 percent) shooting. He also recorded five rebounds. Junior Josh Taylor came off the bench to score 11. EKU’s leading scorer, senior Mike Rose, netted only two points on just 1-of-6 (16.7 percent) shooting. It was Rose’s lowest points total since his freshman year.

Three Murray State players scored in double figures. Sophomore Jeffery McClain led the way, recording a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Junior Danero Thomas and sophomore Isaac Miles both chipped in with 11.

After Murray State started the game on a 12-3 run, Taylor nailed two consecutive three-pointers to slice the deficit to three with 14 minutes left in the first half. Two consecutive buckets by Murray State then ballooned the Racers’ lead to 16-9 before Oppong cut the lead to one with a three-pointer followed by a three-point play.

Following a Murray State run in which the Racers’ lead was stretched to nine, junior Dayvon Ellis brought the Colonels back to within four, 31-27, with a layup and a three-point play before halftime

After hitting their first four three-pointers of the game, the Colonels went just 1-for-11 during the remainder of the first half and entered halftime shooting just 33 percent from behind the arc.

Oppong led all scorers at halftime with 11 points on 4-of-5 (80 percent) shooting. Rose finished the first half with zero points on only two shot attempts.

McClain paced the Racers at halftime with eight points and eight rebounds.

A bucket and a foul shot by Oppong and a layup from Ellis gave the Colonels their first lead of the game, 32-31, just seconds into the second stanza. With 15:37 showing on the clock, freshman Deveyon Hunter converted a three-point play to give EKU its second lead of the game at 39-38.

EKU maintained its slim advantage until, with 6:31 remaining in the game, Murray State junior Tony Easley hit two free throws to give the Racers a 47-45 lead, their first since early in the second half. Another bucket in the paint by Easley extended Murray State’s lead to four with just over five minutes left in the game.

A free throw by Oppong with just over a minute left drew the Colonels to within six, 52-46, and snapped a nine-minute scoring drought by EKU. The Colonels had not scored since 10:18 remaining in the game. With 30 seconds showing on the clock, freshman Mike Lewis hit a layup and was fouled, but he missed the ensuing free throw that would have pulled EKU to within three.
MOREHEAD STATE 80, UT MARTIN 71
MOREHEAD, Ky. - Demonte Harper scored a career-high 22 points to lead Morehead State to an 80-71 Ohio Valley Conference win over UT Martin Thursday (Dec. 4) evening in Johnson Arena.

The Eagles (2-6, 1-0 OVC) have now won two in a row after opening the season with six consecutive losses. UT Martin is now 2-4 overall, 0-1 in the league.

Harper also had game-high totals of five assists, two blocked shots and four steals. MSU also got 16 points and eight rebounds from Leon Buchanan, 13 points from Maze Stallworth and 10 points and a game-high 12 rebounds from Kenneth Faried.

UT Martin was led by Lester Hudson who scored a game-high 24 points and pulled down 10 rebounds. Marquis Weddle had 13 points, and Benzor Simmons had 12 points and eight rebounds.

The final tie of the game came at 67-67 with 4:49 left. The Eagles then finished the game on a 13-to-4 run to win by nine points.

Neither team shot well, MSU 39.7 percent (25-of-63) and UT Martin (37.1 percent (23-of-62). The Eagles won the rebound battle, 47-to-40, and both teams had 17 turnovers.

AUSTIN PEAY 91, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 67
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Southeast Missouri State men's basketball lost a 91-67 decision to defending Ohio Valley Conference champion Austin Peay Thursday night at the Show Me Center.

Redhawks center Calvin Williams led all scorers with 21 points and also pulled down six rebounds with three blocked shots. Jaycen Herring added 17 points in the defeat.

Twelve Austin Peay players reached the scoring column, led by Wes Channels with 20 points. Kyle Duncan shot 6-for-7 from 3-point range to account for 18 points. As a team, the Governors shot 50.8-percent for the game while the Redhawks shot only 43.9-percent.

EASTERN ILLINOIS 71, TENNESSEE STATE 61
CHARLESTON, Ill. - Ousmane Cisse picked up his second double-double in the last three games to lead Eastern Illinois to a 71-61 win over Tennessee State in the Ohio Valley Conference opener for both schools.  Cisse finished with a career-high 22 points and 10 rebounds.

EIU improved to 2-4 on the year, 1-0 in the OVC.  The Panthers will host Austin Peay at 7 p.m. on Saturday night.  TSU falls to 0-1 in the OVC, 2-4 overall.

Cisse nearly collected his double-double in the first half scoring 8 points and pulling in 8 rebounds.  Tyler Laser led the Panthers with 10 first half points as they opened with a 37-26 halftime lead.  Laser would finish with 15.

Laser pushed the EIU lead to 13 points at 49-36 with 11:56 left in the game before Tennessee State made it interesting.  The Tigers used a 6-0 run at the 8 minute mark to close the margin to 56-53 as Jerrell Houston and Gerald Robinson made back-to-back lay-ups.  Jeremiah Crutcher pulled TSU to within three points with 3:55 left on a pair of free throws but that was as close as the Tigers would get.

T.J. Marion answered the call for EIU making three baskets late in the shot clock as he finished with 12 points.  Dewayne Wright and Laser each knocked down free throws in the final 30 seconds to ice the contest.

Robinson led TSU with 14 points while Crutcher and Stephen Evans each added 13.

It was the first OVC opening win for EIU since 2003-04.